Licensing Blog

Regulation or Elimination? The Impact of HB 445 on Alabama’s Hemp Industry

Regulation or Elimination? The Impact of HB 445 on Alabama’s Hemp Industry

This week, the Alabama House of Representatives concurred with Senate amendments to House Bill 445, sponsored by Andy Whitt, bringing the state one step closer to a comprehensive hemp regulation overhaul. Now awaiting Governor Kay Ivey’s signature, HB 445 promises to reshape Alabama’s hemp industry significantly. Supporters argue the bill’s measures are essential for protecting young Alabamians, while critics caution …

Read More
New Hampshire Senate Tables Simple Possession Bill, Stalling Reform Efforts in 2025

New Hampshire Senate Tables Simple Possession Bill, Stalling Reform Efforts in 2025

On May 1, 2025, New Hampshire’s Senate narrowly voted to table House Bill 198—a proposal that aimed to legalize cannabis possession and use for adults aged 21 and older. The 12–10 vote effectively ends this year’s push to roll back cannabis prohibition in the Granite State. Despite passing the House of Representatives earlier this year, HB 198 met resistance in …

Read More
North Carolina House Takes the Lead on Medical Cannabis Reform with HB 1011

North Carolina House Takes the Lead on Medical Cannabis Reform with HB 1011

North Carolina remains one of the few states without a regulated cannabis program—but that could soon change. Lawmakers are once again setting the stage for reform, with the North Carolina House of Representatives recently introducing House Bill 1011, titled the North Carolina Compassionate Care Act. Spanning 28 pages, the bill outlines the framework for a proposed medical cannabis program. While …

Read More
New Mexico Charts a New Path with the Medical Psilocybin Act

New Mexico Charts a New Path with the Medical Psilocybin Act

On April 7, 2025, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed Senate Bill 219—officially titled the Medical Psilocybin Act—into law, making New Mexico the third state in the nation to establish a regulated psychedelic therapy program. Following in the footsteps of Oregon and Colorado, the Act opens the door for patients in New Mexico to access psilocybin for therapeutic use. Notably, New …

Read More
Sacred Rights and Psychedelics: Utah’s Singularism Case Tests the Limits of Religious Freedom

Sacred Rights and Psychedelics: Utah’s Singularism Case Tests the Limits of Religious Freedom

In 2024, Utah lawmakers unanimously passed Senate Bill 150—known as the Exercise of Religion Amendments—to establish a state-level Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”). The legislation aimed to strengthen their constituents’ ability to challenge government actions that burden their religious beliefs or practices. What lawmakers likely didn’t anticipate, however, was that just eight (8) months later, the law would be invoked …

Read More
Florida Moves Forward to Ban Psychedelic Mushroom Spores

Florida Moves Forward to Ban Psychedelic Mushroom Spores

Not long ago, the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) confirmed in a letter that mushroom spores are legal in accordance with federal law as they are not a controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”). Although, the DOJ noted that once the spores grow into mushrooms and contain psilocybin, psilocin, and/or any of their salts, isomers, or …

Read More
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ New Hemp Regulations in Effect

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ New Hemp Regulations in Effect

On March 12, 2025, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (“FDACS”) new amendments to Rule 5K-4.034, Florida Administrative Code (“F.A.C”) went into effect. From packaging and labeling requirements to product development restrictions, Rule 5K-4.034 governs all consumable hemp products in the Sunshine State. With the amendments now in effect, it is crucial for operators to understand these changes …

Read More
Mark Your Calendars: U.S. Virgin Islands Set to Launch Cannabis Licensing Applications for Cultivators and Micro-Cultivators

Mark Your Calendars: U.S. Virgin Islands Set to Launch Cannabis Licensing Applications for Cultivators and Micro-Cultivators

It has been over two years since Governor Albert Bryan, Jr., signed Virgin Islands Cannabis Act into law — a pivotal move aimed at expanding the U.S. Virgin Islands’ cannabis industry and facilitating the expungement of certain cannabis-related convictions within the territory. Now, after nearly a year since the Governor approved the Office of Cannabis Regulations’ (“OCR”) final proposed regulations, …

Read More
Florida’s Renewed Push for Recreational Cannabis: What’s New in the 2026 Ballot Proposal?

Florida’s Renewed Push for Recreational Cannabis: What’s New in the 2026 Ballot Proposal?

Two months after Amendment 3 fell short of the required supermajority approval, Smart and Safe Florida is renewing its push to legalize recreational cannabis in the Sunshine State. This Tuesday, the campaign’s revised proposal was approved by the state Division of Elections, aiming for a spot on the 2026 ballot. However, with Governor Ron DeSantis (R) firmly opposing adult-use cannabis …

Read More
Psychedelic Movement on the Rise: State Task Forces Recommend Regulated Psychedelics Program

Psychedelic Movement on the Rise: State Task Forces Recommend Regulated Psychedelics Program

As Colorado kicks off 2025 by opening applications for psilocybin businesses, other states may soon follow suit. Nevada and Minnesota’s Psychedelics Task Forces have recommended implementing regulated psychedelic programs and reducing criminal penalties. Following the FDA’s denial of MAPS’ new drug application for MDMA-assisted therapy last year, state Task Force reports highlight a familiar divide: states are advancing faster than …

Read More